Our Mission
To provide services and leadership, in partnership with families, schools and communities, that improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth.
Our Goals
- Increase learning growth for students
- Decrease the gap in achievement
- Increase annual graduation rates
- Increase gateways to post-secondary success
Have you started your district’s online Request for Transportation Approval process for the 2016-17 year? Remember, districts must complete Step III of the Transportation Agreement process by April 29. You may check your district status here. Review the instructions and timelines including the updated video tutorials to complete the process. For more information, contact Jenny Ugolini at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14441.
Our Kids Summer Institute 2016 registration is OPEN! The 12th Annual Institute, “Trip the Light,” is an opportunity for education professionals to network with their peers, discover new strategies for working with English language learners in Iowa, and learn from national and local experts to enrich their practices for increasing EL achievement.
Our Kids Summer Institute “Trip the Light”
Date: June 16-17, 2016
Location: Waukee High School, 555 SE University Ave., Waukee, IA
Read more about the conference
Register for the conference
Heartland AEA educators are reimbursed $150 for registration via Title III claim form, plus $150 honorarium, for full attendance and participation in the full two-day conference. Claim forms will be available onsite June 17.
Come a day early for the pre-conference workshop!
Grades 3-12 teachers are invited to explore evidence-based practices that support English learners and striving students in making gains in academic oral language and literacy to access the demands of the Common Core standards.
Our Kids Pre-conference Workshop: Using the Academic Vocabulary Toolkit for ELLs in Grades 3-12
Date: June 15, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Register here for the pre-conference
*Registration includes Academic Vocabulary Toolkit materials by Kate Kinsella, National Geographic and lunch.
Heartland AEA educators are reimbursed $150 for registration via Title III claim form, plus $100 honorarium, for full attendance and participation in the workshop. Claim forms will be available onsite.
A statewide AEA team has developed a new Google site with resources to support educators who serve students identified with dyslexia and families to provide support to their children.
Resources on the site include:
- Definition of dyslexia in the State of Iowa and possible indicators
- Presentation for educators on dyslexia
- Letter for parents about the services that LEAs and AEAs can provide for a student with reading concerns
- Information about seeking a diagnosis
- Web, books and DVD tools
An expert group that included Wendy Robinson - Heartland AEA, Director of Instructional Services, Jen Sigrist - Van Meter CSD, Director of Learning and Innovation, and Deb Vail - Heartland AEA, Media/Instructional Technology Consultant identified and developed the resources on behalf of Collaborating for Iowa’s Kids (C4K) to address a need in the system. Content was vetted by C4K Work Team Co-Chairs, AEA Educational Services Directors, AEA Special Education Directors, and AEA Media Directors.
The Iowa Department of Education will hold a summer institute for teachers on June 15-17, 2016. National experts in science will lead elementary, middle and high school teachers through the standards. The goal is to give educators tools they need to implement the innovations in their practice. This institute assumes that attendees are familiar with the new science standards (attended Module 1 AEA training), as the Institute is not an introduction to the standards. If you are interested in attending and need the introductory Module 1 training, contact your AEA Science Consultant. Registration links are below for this free training.
Elementary - June 15
Middle School - June 16
High School - June 17
The Iowa Department of Education has announced two public forums on April 25-26 and a statewide survey to gather feedback from Iowans on the current literacy standards, which outline learning expectations for English-language arts and for literacy in history, social studies, science and other technical subjects.
Check here for forum dates and locations, Iowa’s academic standards and information about Iowa’s Literacy Standards Review Team.
Iowans have until May 13 to take the statewide survey.
Our Mission
To provide services and leadership, in partnership with families, schools and communities, that improve the learning outcomes and well-being of all children and youth.
Our Goals
- Increase learning growth for students
- Decrease the gap in achievement
- Increase annual graduation rates
- Increase gateways to post-secondary success
About 20 districts have started the online Request for Transportation Approval process for the 2016-17 year. You may check your district status here. Review the instructions and timelines including the updated video tutorials to complete the process. Districts are asked to begin the process this month and to complete step III by April 30.
Chapter 285.9(3) of the Iowa Code requires the Area Education Agency Board of Directors to approve all bus routes outside the boundaries of the school district operating the buses. This has been interpreted to mean regular routes and regular special education routes, not bussing for field trips or activity trips. The Code requires you to request permission from neighboring district(s) before any bus routes cross district boundaries.
For more information, contact Jenny Ugolini at (515) 270-0405 ext. 14441.
Our Kids Summer Institute 2016 registration is OPEN! The 12th Annual Institute, “Trip the Light,” provides participants an opportunity to network with other educational professionals, discover new strategies for working with English language learners in Iowa, and learn from national and local experts to enrich their practices for increasing EL achievement.
Title III will reimburse Heartland AEA district educators for their registration fees, plus provide a stipend for attendance and full participation in either/both the pre-conference workshop on June 15, and/or the full two-day Our Kids Summer Institute on June 16 and 17, 2016. Claim forms will be available at each event. (Please note that this reimbursement through Heartland AEA does not include Des Moines Public Schools).
Date: June 15-17, 2016
Location: Waukee High School, 555 SE University Ave., Waukee, IA
Read more about the conference
Register for the conference
Iowa administrators and teacher leaders are invited to three professional learning events on the components and interconnectedness of Chapter 62/Early Literacy Initiative, Teacher Leadership Compensation, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Differentiated Accountability, Collaborating for Kids and Standards and Curriculum.
Impacting Literacy Leadership - Making the Connections
This one-day training provides an overview of the components of Multi Tiered Systems of Support while connecting this learning to Early Literacy Implementation and Differentiated Accountability. Members from the Iowa Department of Education and state AEAs will lead collaborative learning around the continuous improvement tools that have been developed through the Collaborating for Iowa's Kids (C4K) and the Teacher Leadership Structure. Action planning for implementation will also be integrated throughout the day so administrators can think about how to leverage their teacher leader resources back in their buildings.
Date: June 20, 2016
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Iowa Events Center, 730 Third Street, Des Moines
Cost: $25
Register by June 15
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Tools to Support MTSS Implementation
Save the date for this follow-up event to the June training. Administrators AND their teachers/teacher leaders and training cadre are invited.
Date: Aug. 1, 2016
Location: Iowa Events Center, 730 Third Street, Des Moines
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Keeping School Improvement Practical, Reasonable, and Doable for PK - 6 Leadership Teams
PreK - 6 Elementary Building Leadership Teams across Heartland AEA will come together to deepen their understanding in:
- Effective leadership team traits
- The interconnectedness of Chapter 62/Early Literacy Initiative, Teacher Leadership Compensation (TLC), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Differentiated Accountability, Collaborating for Kids (C4K) and Standards and Curriculum
- Building consensus with staff and constituents and the use of C4K school improvement tools
This opportunity will assist teams in moving forward from the summer TLC-C4K (June 20 and Aug. 1, 2016), however attendance at those leadership sessions is not required for this day.
Date: Sept. 29, 2016
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Heartland AEA Regional Education Center, 6500 Corporate Drive, Johnston
Register here. There is no cost to attend.
STEM educators in grades 4-8 are eligible to apply for a full scholarship to STEMcon Space Academy for Educators at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. STEMcon is an immersive, collaborative professional development workshop that provides educators with mission critical tools for engaging and exciting their students. This NASA grant-funded professional development program is located at the home of Space Camp and will be offered in two sessions, June 2-5 and July 8-11. The scholarship includes tuition, meals, lodging, lesson materials and a stipend to help offset travel expenses. For more information and to apply by April 8, visit http://rocketcenter.com/educators/STEMCon.
